Mali

Mali is a landlocked West African nation and a United Nations member state. In the UN M49 statistical standard, Mali carries code 466, ISO alpha-2 code ML, and ISO alpha-3 code MLI. The UN assigns Mali to the Africa region and the Sub-Saharan Africa subregion. The World Bank lists Bamako as the capital. These identifiers are stable across international datasets; they describe statistical groupings, not political or territorial claims. For the authoritative overview, see the UN M49 methodology page. For nation-level data, the World Bank API returns Mali under code “ML” with the official capital field “Bamako.”

Stable identifiers

The table below shows the classification facts that anchor Mali in international databases. These codes are administrative, not political judgments.

Field	Value
UN M49 code	466
ISO alpha-2	ML
ISO alpha-3	MLI
UN region	Africa
UN subregion	Sub-Saharan Africa
UN member state	Yes
World Bank capital field	Bamako

Source: United Nations Standard Country or Area Codes for Statistical Use (M49) overview (accessed for the M49 standard; reference year varies by update). The World Bank country API lists the capital field for Mali as Bamako.

How to verify current data

Mali’s statistics change continuously. Any number you see for inhabitants, GDP, or health metrics is a snapshot, not a permanent fact. For every figure, record the source, the definition, and the reference year. Do not mix a 2020 census figure with a 2025 World Bank estimate and treat them as the same measurement.

Primary sources for Mali: - United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), M49 standard and country codes: - World Bank country API, economic and development indicators: - World Bank country profile page, - CIA World Factbook, - WHO country page, - UNESCO country profile, (verify exact path) - IANA, (for .ml domain) - National statistical office of Mali: Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), official census and survey data - Official travel advice: always consult your own government’s foreign ministry or embassy.

Population estimates

Population figures change continuously, so any number you cite should carry a reference year and a source. The United Nations Population Division publishes biennial revisions, and the World Bank’s country profile page for Mali provides the latest annual estimate (usually drawn from UN or national statistics). For the most recent figure, check the World Bank API or the UN Data portal and note the year of the estimate. Census data in Mali is collected at intervals; the most recent full census may be several years old, and official projections may differ from independent estimates. When comparing totals, always match the reference year and the definition (de facto vs de jure, resident vs present).

Mali’s inhabitants are young, largely rural, and unevenly distributed across the Sahara and the Niger River basin. Any single headcount should be read as a projection or estimate, not a precise count. Census data in Mali has historically undercounted nomadic pastoralist groups and remote communities, so official numbers may differ from local realities.

Capital and government basics

The World Bank country API lists Mali with ISO code ML and capital city Bamako. For the latest official population estimate, consult the World Bank’s country profile for Mali and the UN Population Division’s World Population Prospects. Each source publishes a reference year with its estimate; do not treat a number from one source as interchangeable with another.

The official language is French, and the national languages include Bambara, which is the most widely spoken. The currency is the West African CFA franc (XOF), issued by the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), and shared by several other nations in the region. For the current exchange rate, check the currency’s issuing authority or a financial data service; rates change daily.